Air guiding system for a vehicle

ABSTRACT

A vehicle air guiding system in a rear area of the vehicle has a central air guiding element displaceable between a moved-in inoperative position into a moved-out operative position. Lateral air guiding elements, which are displaceable together with the central air guiding element, are telescopically displaceable relative to the central air guiding element while enlarging the transverse dimension of the air guiding system transversely to vehicle longitudinal direction from an also moved-in inoperative position into an also moved-out operative position. In the inoperative position, the lateral air guiding elements are pushed over the central air guiding element so that they rest against one another by way of the end sections and completely cover or envelop the central air guiding element.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 toGerman Patent Application No. 10 2006 014 258 filed Mar. 28, 2006, thedisclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an air guiding system for a vehiclewhich is arranged in a rear area of the vehicle and comprises a centralair guiding element, which can be displaced from a moved-in inoperativeposition into a moved-out operative position and vice-versa, lateral airguiding elements being displaceable together with the central airguiding element, and the lateral air guiding elements beingtelescopically displaceable relative to the central air guiding elementwhile enlarging the transverse dimension of the air guiding systemtransversely to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle from an alsomoved-in inoperative position into an also moved-out operative position.

DE 30 19 150 A1 shows a vehicle air guiding system arranged in an upperrear area of the vehicle and having an air guiding element that can bedisplaced from an inoperative position, in which it is integrated in theshaping of the rear area flush with the surface, into a moved-outoperative position. The air guiding element is constructed as anaerofoil which, by way of an operating device, can be displaced orchanged from the inoperative position into the operative position andvice-versa.

DE 43 05 090 A1 also discloses a vehicle air guiding system arranged ina rear area of the vehicle and having an air guiding element that can bedisplaced from an inoperative position into a moved-out operativeposition. The air guiding element is formed by a rear spoiler arrangedin a recessed receiving device of the vehicle body and displaced by anoperating device from the inoperative position to the operative positionand vice-versa.

The air guiding systems disclosed in the above-mentioned DE 30 19 150 A1and DE 43 05 090 A1 increase the vehicle rear axle output coefficient(c_(ah)-value) while maintaining the drag coefficient (c_(w)-value) atthe same level or improving same. These known air guiding elements eachhaving the same transverse dimension in the inoperative position and inthe operative position.

DE 10 2004 030 571 A1 discloses a vehicle air guiding system having acentral air guiding element as well as two lateral air guiding elements.The lateral air guiding elements allow the transverse dimension of theair guiding system can be enlarged in the operative position. Thelateral air guiding elements can be telescopically moved with respect tothe central air guiding element, in the moved-in inoperative position,the lateral air guiding elements enveloping the end areas of the centralguiding element in a cap-type manner while forming visually andaerodynamically negative step-type shoulders.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved vehicle airguiding system in which, in the inoperative position of the lateral airguiding elements, the latter are pushed over the central air guidingelement so as to rest against one another by way of end sections andcompletely cover or envelop the central air guiding element.

Preferably the lateral air guiding elements can be changed isochronouslyor simultaneously with the displacement of the central air guidingelement from the inoperative position into the operative position withrespect to the central air guiding element from an also moved-ininoperative position into an also moved-out operative position.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present inventionwill become apparent from the following detailed description of theinvention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an air guiding system accordingto the invention in perspective view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 shows a cutout of a motor vehicle rear area 10, namely a vehiclebody part 11 as well as an air guiding system designated generally bynumeral 12 of the rear area 10. In a moved-in inoperative position, theair guiding system 12 is integrated flush with the surface in the reararea 10 of the motor vehicle. In contrast, in a moved-out operativeposition, the air guiding system 12 is moved out of the surface contourof the rear area 10.

The air guiding system 12 according to the invention has a central airguiding element 13 (shown in dash lines) as well as two lateral airguiding elements 14, 15. In the illustrated position in FIG. 1, thelateral air guiding elements 14, 15 completely cover or envelop thecentral air guiding element 13.

Thus, in the illustrated position, the lateral air guiding elements 14,15 rest against one another by way of end sections while forming aseparating gap 16. When the lateral air guiding elements 14, 15 arechanged from the inoperative position illustrated in FIG. 1 into amoved-out operative position, the lateral air guiding elements 14, 15can be moved in the direction of the arrows 17, 18 respectively,transversely to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle whileenlarging the distance between the end sections and thus while enlargingthe separating gap 16, with the central air guiding element 13 beingexposed at least in sections.

The change of the air guiding system 12 according to the presentinvention from an inoperative position into an operative position takesplace such that the entire air guiding system 12 (thus the central airguiding element 13 together with the lateral air guiding elements 14,15) is moved out of the surface contour of the rear area 10 as a resultof an upward-directed movement, preferably by an upward-directedswinging motion. Preferably isochronously or simultaneously with thisdisplacement, the lateral air guiding elements 14, 15 are telescopicallydisplaced with respect to the central air guiding element 13 linearly ortranslatorily in the direction of the arrows 17, 18 respectively andthus transversely to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Therebythe transverse dimension of the air guiding system 12 is enlargedaccording to the invention. As mentioned above, the central air guidingelement 13 is thereby exposed at least in sections.

Also mentioned above, isochronously with the displacement of the centralair guiding element 13 from the inoperative position into the operativeposition and vice-versa from the operative position into the inoperativeposition, the displacement of the lateral air guiding elements 14, 15with respect to the central air guiding element 13 takes place from analso moved-in inoperative position into an also moved-out operativeposition or vice-versa from the operative position into the inoperativeposition. Here, it is noted that these two displacements may, however,also be carried out independently or uncoupled from one another. In thiscase, preferably first the central air guiding element 13 together withthe lateral air guiding elements 14, 15 while maintaining the relativeposition to one another is displaced, and only subsequently, thedisplacement of the lateral air guiding elements 14, 15 with respect tothe central air guiding element 13 takes place transversely to thelongitudinal direction of the vehicle.

The air guiding system 12 according to the invention has the advantagethat, in the inoperative position, in which the lateral air guidingelements 14, 15 cover or envelop the central air guiding element 13completely, no visually or aerodynamically negative shoulder is formedbetween the lateral air guiding elements 14 and 15 and the central airguiding element 13.

For the displacement or moving of the lateral air guiding elements 14,15 relative to the central air guiding element 13 transversely to thelongitudinal direction of the vehicle, a single drive is sufficientwhich is preferably constructed as a spindle-shaped linear drive.

It is another advantage of the air guiding system 12 according to theinvention that, as a result of the considerable overlapping of thelateral air guiding elements 14, 15 with the central air guiding element13, which occurs in their inoperative position as well as in theiroperative position, aerodynamic forces are reliably transmitted to thecentral air guiding element 13. The lateral air guiding elements 14 and15 are therefore subjected to relatively low stress, so that they caneasily have a relatively light and thin-walled construction.

The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate theinvention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of thedisclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of theinvention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention shouldbe construed to include everything within the scope of the appendedclaims and equivalents thereof.

1. A vehicle air guiding system, arranged in a vehicle rear areacomprising a central air guiding element displaceable between a moved-ininoperative position into a moved-out operative position, and lateralair guiding elements displaceable together with the central air guidingelement and telescopically displaceable relative to the central airguiding element while enlarging the transverse dimension of the airguiding system transversely to a longitudinal direction of the vehiclefrom an also moved-in inoperative position into an also moved-outoperative position, wherein in the inoperative position the lateral airguiding elements are pushed over the central air guiding element to restagainst one another by way of the end sections and completely envelopall sides of the central air guiding element.
 2. The vehicle air guidingsystem according to claim 1, wherein when changing the lateral airguiding elements from the moved-in inoperative position into themoved-out operative position, the lateral air guiding elements aremovable transversely to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle whileenlarging the distance between the end sections and while exposing thecentral air guiding element at least in sections.
 3. The vehicle airguiding system according to claim 1, wherein the end sections of thelateral air guiding elements contact one another while forming aseparating gap that is enlargeable in the also moved out operativeposition.
 4. The vehicle air guiding system according to claim 3,wherein when changing the lateral air guiding elements from the moved-ininoperative position into the moved-out operative position, the lateralair guiding elements are movable transversely to the longitudinaldirection of the vehicle while enlarging the distance between the endsections and while exposing the central air guiding element at least insections.
 5. The vehicle air guiding system according to claim 1,wherein the lateral air guiding elements are arranged to be changed,isochronously or simultaneously from the also moved-in inoperativeposition into the also moved-out operative position with displacement ofand with respect to the central air guiding element from the inoperativeposition into the operative position.
 6. The vehicle air guiding systemaccording to claim 5, wherein in the moved-in inoperative position, theend sections of the lateral air guiding elements contact one anotherwhile forming a separating gap that is enlargeable in the also moved outoperative position.
 7. The vehicle air guiding system according to claim5, wherein when changing the lateral air guiding elements from themoved-in inoperative position into the moved-out operative position, thelateral air guiding elements are movable transversely to thelongitudinal direction of the vehicle while enlarging the distancebetween the end sections and while exposing the central air guidingelement at least in sections.
 8. The vehicle air guiding systemaccording to claim 7, wherein in the moved-in inoperative position, theend sections of the lateral air guiding elements contact one anotherwhile forming a separating gap that is enlargeable in the also moved outoperative position.